A world awaits discovery under almost any humble log in winter, whether it’s in your backyard or deep in the woods. Lift that log and make some new discoveries. Just be sure to put that log back carefully…
The San Francisco Bay Area has an extensive array of programming to support little people with big curiosities.
Kids Learn the Landscape in San Rafael
On Veteran’s Day, a day off when lots of kids might be home watching TV or playing video games, fourth and fifth graders from Bahia Vista Elementary School in San Rafael’s Canal district guided parents and friends through the four distinct bird habitats of Pickleweed Park and explained what they had learned about each habitat and its particular bird life.
Top Billing for Shorebirds
As summer turns to fall, thousands of shorebirds return to the shoreline and mudflats of San Francisco Bay, either for a pit stop on their way south or to stay for the winter. Sometimes many different kinds gather in one place. How can you tell them apart?
The BAWT Mobiles Come to Town
The BAWT mobiles are in town, and they mean serious wilderness business. With the help of City Car Share and the local nonprofit Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT), Bay Area youth organizations can now reserve vans to transport children for field trips and campouts.
Dinosaur Plants
While living dinosaurs are nowhere to be found in California these days, you can see recognizable descendants of plants that lived with them–right here in the modern Bay Area.
River of Words, 2008
When teacher Linda Cover walks into a classroom, she steps onto fertile soil, knowing that her students have a cumulative knowledge of their watershed. As a Spectra Arts teacher with the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz, she works with kids … Read more
Outdoor Summer Camp Resources
Too much homework? Bully picking on you at school? Perhaps not, but have you stopped to wonder if your children are yearning for a breath of fresh air? Sometimes, even the ol’ backyard isn’t enough backcountry for a cooped-up kid, … Read more
Falling for Spiders and Termites
Things begin rumbling about now. Storm clouds pile up along the outer Coast Ranges, the winds shift and come out of the south, days get shorter, and the air gets colder. We all know what’s coming: the rainy season. Termites and spiders know it too, and they’re getting busy.
Why are Banana Slugs so Slimy?
Back when I used to teach children about nature, I often relied on a “hook” to keep them focused. Slapping myself with stinging nettle was a great attention grabber, but banana slugs worked just as well and didn’t hurt as … Read more